MFRI to host winter open house Thursday
December 3, 2014
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A staff member discusses the work of MFRI at the 2013 open house. (MFRI photo) |
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Center for Families (CFF) and the Military Family Research Institute (MFRI) will host a winter open house on Thursday (Dec. 4) from 3-5 p.m. at Bill and Sally Hanley Hall. Both are located within the Department of Human Development and Family Studies in Purdue University's College of Health and Human Sciences.
The open house celebrates the 20th anniversary for CFF and MFRI's 15th anniversary. It also celebrates new and existing collaborations between the organizations with Purdue University faculty and staff.
Founded in 1994, CFF is a concrete reminder that families, in all their diverse forms, are the foundation of society. Its work touches the lives of thousands of families in new ways. Through its efforts, state and local policymakers come together to learn about new research on families and children. Employers learn about ways to help their employees do a good job, both at home and at work. CFF also provides a way for faculty, staff, students, alumni and friends of HHS to bring about change focused on families.
In 2000, the Center for Families founded MFRI with funding from the Department of Defense. Its original mission was almost entirely research-based. With funding from Lilly Endowment Inc., the defense department, and other collaborative partnerships, MFRI expanded its mission to include outreach and programming. It aims to extend and strengthen the ability of military and civilian organizations to help military families by designing and implementing outreach activities that assist military families, primarily within but also beyond Indiana, and by conducting research with and for military families that generates important new knowledge about their experiences.
"We are proud to be one of the many efforts at Purdue that are focusing on improving the lives of active military members, veterans and their families, and are excited to welcome the public as we celebrate the collective accomplishments of MFRI and everyone who has contributed during the past year," said CFF and MFRI director Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth.
The winter open house will not only celebrate the work of these two Purdue groups, it will also give the public an opportunity to learn more about their current projects and connect with researchers and collaborative partners who are working to strengthen families and communities.
Writer: Beth Johnson, 703-927-7429, bethjohnson@purdue.edu
Source: Shelley MacDermid Wadsworth, 765-494-6026, shelley@purdue.edu
